THE THE TRENDERA FILES TRENDERA FILES Trendera THE FUTURE OF Volume 9, Issue 1, January 2018 Showtime THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF CONTENTS THE FUTURE OF INTRO 4 YOUR CONSUMER 76 78 Is It Over Yet? 84 Your Consumer In 2018 2017 IN MEMES 7 89 Values & Goals 95 Dating 97 Entertainment STILL GOING STRONG 11 102 Technology 103 Retail 107 Money THE FUTURE OF... 108 15 Significant Differences: Coastal vs. National 16 Lifestyle 24 Gender 30 Power, Influence & Celebrity 34 Entertainment Trendera 40 Social Media 44 Technology 52 Fashion 58 Retail 64 Marketing 70 Work Showtime2 TABLE OF CONTENTS NOW TRENDING 112 STATISTICS 155 113 Lifestyle 118 Entertainment 121 Digital / Tech 123 Retail / Fashion STANDOUT MARKETING 126 THE HOT LISTS Trendera131 132 What’s Hot: Gen Z 8-12 134 What’s Hot: Gen Z 13+ 136 What’s Hot: Millennials 138 Trendera Class of 2018 150 Digital Download 152 Know the Slang Showtime3 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF If you’re reading this, congratulations are in order—you survived 2017! We knew this year was going to be a doozy, and boy was it. Having endured a trifecta of some of the worst natural disasters and mass shootings on American soil, an outpouring of sexual harassment scandals, and global nuclear annihilation looming closer with every presidential tweet, it’s no wonder 2017 left so many of us physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. When even Taylor Swift has taken a turn for the dark, it’s clear that a seismic mood shift has occurred within American culture. Thankfully, the new year is here just in time to inspire us and redirect our focus. While we may not be as passionate about rainbows and unicorns, this year will be one of more substance: we’ll see people become much more intentional and informed while also carving out moments of genuine happiness in their lives and going to extremes to let loose. As you read our predictions for the most important trends for 2018, you’ll likely notice this delicate balancing act, with consumer sentiment and behavior becoming at once more serious and subdued yet more fulfilling and fantasy-driven. Always our favorite issue of the year, the January edition of The Trendera Files is packed from cover to cover with our newest macro and micro trends, favorite marketing campaigns, and curated roundups on who, what, and where is on the rise. We’re also keeping tradition by showcasing our latest survey results by comparing nationally representativeTrendera respondents to those who live in coastal cities. Despite its predecessor, we believe 2018 will be an incredible year and hope this issue empowers you to make it one of the best yet—for yourself, your company, and your consumers. TRENDERA Showtime4 Trendera Showtime5 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF Trendera Showtime6 Trendera 2017 IN MEMES Showtime7 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF JAN 2017 | SALTBAE FEB 2017 | CASH ME OUSSIDE WELCOME TO MAR 2017 | ROLL SAFE APR 2017 | YOUR TAPE Trendera MAY 2017 | SPONGEMOCK JUN 2017 | THE FLOOR IS Showtime8 2017 IN MEMES NOTHING BUT RESPECT DISTRACTED JUL 2017| FOR MY PRESIDENT AUG 2017 | BOYFRIEND SEP 2017 | MARIAH CAREY OCT 2017 | FIRST OF ALL... Trendera IF YOU PLAY NOV 2017 | 10/31 VS. 11/1 DEC 2017 | THIS SONG... Showtime9 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF Trendera STILL GOING STRONG in 2018 Showtime10 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF Trendera STILL GOING STRONG in 2018 Showtime11 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF Sometimes we surprise even ourselves when it comes to predicting long- term trends. Here are a few we have discussed before that are still going to be important for the year ahead. MULTICULTURAL COOL As Gen Z becomes the first generation with a multicultural majority, they are pushing for mainstream pop culture as well as brands to reflect the world that they live in. For many younger consumers today, being “just” white is considered boring and carries a stigma of being ignorant and privileged, while being multicultural and having many ethnic elements as part of one’s identity is considered a status symbol. DIVERSIFIED STORYTELLING Perhaps a result of the above, unlike the past, when marginalized groups depended on a mainstream white culture and big brands to lend them a voice, the democratization of social media has now given underserved groups a platform to speak for themselves, which has created a new set of expectations. In 2018, we’ll see people become even more thoughtful about not only the stories that are being told, but who is telling them as well. THE RATING GAME We’re rapidly moving toward a future of assigning metrics to everything and everyone. Avid Trendera Files readers will remember when we wrote in 2015 about China’s proposed “Social Credit System,” which would factor in online activity, purchasing behaviors, financial history, and more to give citizens a score in “trustworthiness” to be used for everything from obtaining loans to making travel plans. We’re sorry to say that this will become a reality by 2020, Trenderaand in the meantime, 2018 may be the year that ratings become a dominant form of assessing taste, preference, and influence. MAY A(I) HELP YOU Artificial intelligence and machine learning seem to be driving the conversation around how to improve virtually everything these days. With AI shaping everything from recommendations and search to facial recognition and personal assistant bots, 2018 may very well be the year that society invites robotic intelligence into all aspects of daily life. Showtime12 STILL GOING STRONG IN 2018 SEARCHING FOR MORE Also spurred by the 2016 Presidential election, people have been actively trying to expand their perspectives to see other points of view. While the movement originally began as a reaction to social media bubbles and skewed online news, expect to see the search for conflict and “reality” popping up in work, school, entertainment, and beyond this year. At the same time, don’t be surprised to see people, particularly peace-seeking Millennials, grow increasingly frustrated when agreeing to disagree is a lot harder than they thought. FEAR FACTOR Between natural disasters, political instability, and simply trying to get through a news cycle without worrying about the apocalypse, many people are feeling a lack of control every day, resulting in growing territorialism among people of various groups and ideologies. Both a driver and a consequence of the 2016 Presidential election, the desire to band together is amplifying ongoing movements of populism, nationalism, and tribalism both stateside and beyond in 2018. THE POST VIRAL AGE We are living in a post-viral age, where “viral” is not a descriptor of the process, but the product. Thanks to the ever-increasing sophistication of niche audiences and distribution channels, future crazes will have massive reach but the mark they make will be more fleeting than ever. In short, if you aren’t doing something RIGHT NOW, you aren’t relevant to today’s consumers. The good news is that it’s never too late to become relevant. TrenderaMODERN ALCHEMY We’ve reported at length about the rise of health and wellness before and this trend is only going to continue. Consumers of all ages are thinking about their wellness holistically and incorporating even more spiritual (not religious) practices into their lives in 2018. After all, when Urban Outfitters is selling out of crystals, dried sage bundles, Palo Santo sticks, and tarot cards, it’s safe to say this trend has gone mainstream. Spiritual wellness will continue to be particularly influential in the fitness industry, where we’re moving beyond Soul Cycle cults to truly transcendent sweat fests. Showtime13 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF Trendera Showtime14 Trendera THE FUTURE OF... Showtime15 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF LIFESTYLE Trendera Showtime16 THE FUTURE OF... LIFESTYLE AGE OF ANXIETY Anxiety is one of the biggest and more kids and teens are feeling buzzwords of the moment. The like they can no longer cope with Oxford Dictionary defines it as life’s challenges. Older generations “a feeling of worry, nervousness, are dealing with anxieties in the or unease about something with domestic sphere, and we’re seeing an uncertain outcome,” as well how people are Rethinking Infidelity as a “nervous disorder marked to reconsider their ideas of family, by excessive uneasiness and marriage, and sexual desire. With apprehension.” According to the many of society’s institutions National Institute of Mental Health, unstable, Faith Takes Center Stage anxiety affects almost one-third of as Christianity has a big impact on adolescents and adults and, in our pop culture, inspiring people to opinion, is a good descriptor of our reflect on how to hold onto hope cultural mindset in general these amidst challenges. Instead of opting days. From insecurity in our personal into faith, others are dealing with lives to expecting the worst from their anxieties by preparing for the the world around us—terrorism, worst, Doomsday Stockpiling in climate change, etc.—feeling anxious preparation for emergencies and is something that people of every age natural disasters. But it’s not all doom are well familiar with right now. and gloom. Perhaps one good thing to come out of this age of anxiety is TheTrendera most affected by anxiety, though, that mental health has taken prime may be Generation Z. Attributed importance. A new philosophy that to smartphones, foreboding news being Mentally Strong Is the New headlines, and huge expectations of Strong is driving people to take their success, the Gen Z Anxiety epidemic mental health seriously, setting time demonstrates how more aside for clarity and reset. Showtime17 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF GEN Z ANXIETY ANXIETY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES Today’s youth faces unprecedented pressures to be academically, socially, and professionally successful.